than ordinary appearance of malignity. This ferpent is 

 a native of Africa, and is principally found in fandy 

 deferts and dry places. In Egypt ? it is common, as 

 well as in fome particular parts of Nubia and Abyffinia. 

 It alfo abounds in Syria and Arabia. It bears a very 

 great analogy to the common viper : its bite is perhaps 

 ftill more to be dreaded, rince exclufive of the general 

 danger in treading accidentally on one of thefe reptiles, 

 and thus irritating it unawares, it poffefles a propenfity 

 of fpringing wkh great fuddennefs to a considerable 

 diftance, and afiailing without provocation thofe who 

 happen to approach it. In many parts of Africa, ac- 

 cording to the teftimony of the moll refpectable travel- 

 lers, there prevails a method of charming, as it were, 

 or ftupifying thefe, as well as other poifonous ferpents, 

 by the ufe of certain preparations of fuch powerful 

 efficacy as effectually to fecure the perfon fo prepared 

 from being in the leaft bitten by the animals, though 

 oppreffed by every fpecies of irritation. A fufpicion 

 might naturally arife that the ferpents thus treated had 

 been firft deprived of their fangs, and confequently of 

 their power of poifoning ; but that this is not the cafe, 

 is expreflly declared by Mr. Bruce, who, during his 

 African travels, had ample opportunities of witneffing 

 thefe extraordinary experiments. On this fubjedfc Mr. . 

 Bruce expreffes himfelf as follows : 



" I will not hefitate to aver, that I have feen at Cairo 

 " (and this may be feen daily, without trouble or ex- 

 " pence) a man who came from above the catacombs 

 " where the mummy-birds are kept, who has taken a 

 ** Ceraftes with his naked hand from a number of 

 " others lying at the bottom of 4ie tub; has put it 



{i upon 



